


Sleepless City

by Taffyberry



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28803726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taffyberry/pseuds/Taffyberry
Summary: Amaurot can be a lonely place when one is left alone with naught but your regrets. Obvious spoilers for shadowbringers.
Relationships: Azem & Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV), Azem/Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV)
Kudos: 6





	Sleepless City

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! I haven't written anything in a while and it's 3am and I'm writing g on my phone sk I really apologise for aby typos or the brevity of this piece! That said I hope you enjoy

Paperwork was Emet-selch's second least favourite thing to do. The first was listen to Lahabrea and the others talk ceaselessly for hours. Though, sometimes, when Azem was present, she'd get a small smile on her face as she watched them. A fond one, looking upon her brothers and sisters whom she seldom got to be around.  
  
And then it would morph into something else a smile on the edge of a smirk as she came up with ideas to prank them. They were always all too caught up in their talking to notice, but he never was. If anything he was far too caught up in her to notice much else.  
  
The man paused snd lowered his pen. She was asleep in the other room. She'd returned from her adventures battered and bruised but golden eyes still bright with a smile. She had proclaimed, loudly, to both him and Hythlodaeus, who had been over to have dinner together, that she had amazing stories to tell them. That she had seen things they couldn't believe. She had then collapsed with exhaustion, and would have hit the ground had he not caught her first. She had used too much energy getting home in a hurry... always a disregard for her own health.  
  
Then, of course, his friend had pointed out that he was smiling at her snd had proceeded to forget his entire train of thought. Emet-selch often thought he should distance himself from her; they distracted each other yet Hades on the other hand wanted her at his aide constantly. She wad always in a hurry and would trip and fall, or not look where she was going and walk into something. She'd get I to arguments frequently with the others, and though she hid it, he knew that it hurt her whenever other members expressed their views on her near permanent absence.  
  
He stood from his desk snd moved to peer out at the night sky. Amaurot rarely slept, snd yet somehow, especially to him, night seemed more peaceful and calming. Like the busyness of the streets below were just figments of his imagination and that ir was perhaps just them--  
  
Hades glanced to the door when he heard footsteps. She was trying to be quiet but was failing miserably. He shook his head snd let our a sigh, yet his smile betrayed his true feelings. The door creaked open and he could see her in tbe window, draped in his cloak small and...  
  
"Hades," she whispered.  
  
He glanced at her. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, snd he could hear the delicacy with which she spoke as though she were afraid anything firmer would crack whsteber stability she had created for herself.  
  
Azem fidgeted, her red hair falling from its braids and her eyes dropping to glance at the floor. She hated burdening him like this, but he was the only one who helped. She had nightmares. All the time. Those she couldn't save... anxiety for those who might need her in tbe future. What if she was unable to. Who would she fail next?  
  
Hades let out a soft sigh and span on his heel far too gracefully for someone who slouched and walked with a leisurely gait befitting of an immortal.  
  
It was instant thr moment he moved tk her. How she fell against him and tucked herself into his side. As always, he was amazed at how small she was next to him, yet how she seemed to fit there so easily. She always smelled good too-- like the sun. Warm. 'But the sun isn't an actual scent!' She'd cry out, but he'd never give her anything else than that. No matter how much she bugged him-- and he wondered if that was the reason. He _liked_ her attention. If anyone else disturbed his nap he'd be in a foul mood for the rest of the day but if it was her? If it was Azem? **His** Azem?  
  
He would pretend to be grouchy but he would really just wonder at her and ponder on what it was in him that seemed to draw her ever to his side.  
  
"Will you play me a song?" She whispered.  
  
Wordlessly he led her to the piano in the greeting room. It was routine by now; he would sit and then she would sit next to him, her thigh pushed against his and her head on his shoulder. There would be nothing spoken until she was snoring gently against him. Hades would talk himself out of touching her face gently, and would instead carry her to where she might sleep properly before deciding to retire himself. It was like clockwork.  
  
Yet this time, Hades stared at the keys of the piano. There was no warmth beside him, no warmth anywhere in this dead city.  
  
"Stupid, sentimental fool," he cursed himself. When he had remade his city, his home, it was too hard to-- to bring her with it. Yet somehow he always found himself at his desk, imagining her coming to his door and then....  
  
It felt so real every time. He knew how much she would disagree if she were here, how she would somehow talk him out of his plans... What he would give for her tk be there expressing her disagreement so indignantly he would want nothing more than to kiss her and say how he had missed her... and how she had been right.  
  
And yet she was not there. Nor would she ever be again and for that too, he blamed himself.  
  
Emet-selch raised his hands to rest on the ivory keys, before he pulled back and put the lid down instead. He stood in one slow and deliberate movement and crossed to the window nearby. These days the city was still and silent and for once he was the only one awake.


End file.
